“And the one reason for not responding to malicious rumours would be…” TV Report Interview

And the one reason for not responding to malicious rumours would be…”

If Ha Jung-Woo is the face of actors in their 30s, then Joo Won would be the face of actors in their 20s. On 28 Oct, “That Guy” premiered. Before then, Joo Won had already appeared in 7 different dramas and 5 movies. In between all of that, he had also appeared in musicals, with nary enough rest all this while. Keeping a busy schedule and working hard has distanced him from these malicious rumours.

“I’m fundamentally childlike, in that I approach things with a level of innocence. I need to hear positive words of praise and encouragement in order to work well. Therefore I will certainly avoid reading negative messages.”

“Whenever I got a break, I would start to feel restless. After filming for “Good Doctor” ended, I started rehearsals for the musical “Ghost” the very next day. I used to think that keeping unconditionally busy with continuous productions was a good thing. Today however, I’m beginning to realise, rest is also necessary.”

Having been guided by the principal of “being as productive as possible”, Joo Won, who used to slog like a dog, has started to feel a change in himself as he approaches his 30s.

“Since the time I was in high school, I had never liked taking on similar roles repeatedly. While others wanted to play the lead, I would opt to play the role of the perverted old man. It’s the same with dramas. I want to show the audience different personas. Yet somehow over time I found myself developing a certain image. To me, at 29, this is the point where I feel I need to create that distinction in myself.”

Joo Won will turn 30 in the coming year. As he prepares for enlistment then, he also plans to break free from his current image and looks forward to change. His choice of the starring role in “That Guy” was precisely to work on a character he had never played before.

“So I was asked, ‘Would you like to try being in a horror-thriller?’ Put that way, it did jolt me some. I was quite nervous before turning the cover on the script. I had gained weight for this role and definitely looked different, and my! I looked so gauche! But that was exactly the reaction I wanted (from others)! Haha!”

Do you look forward to presenting a different Joo Won with each production?

“I find it amazing when actors are able to transform themselves to the point where they are unrecognisable. I admire them. Like how Christian Bale inAmerican Psycho was so different from him as Batman, and senior Song Kang-Ho’s absolute change in The Throne was both shocking and provocative.”

“I hope that the future Joo Won will be well-rested physically and mentally. And when it comes time to choose my next project, that I will be discerning in what it is I want to do.”